All subprojects in the CNP utilize the same population of patients and the same experimental animal model. The Core consists of three parts: a Clinical Section, an Animal Section, and a Histopathological Section. The Clinical Section provides state-of-the-art capable EEG telemetry with scalp and sphenoidal or intracerebral electrodes and video monitoring; complete surgical facilities for surgical resection and stereotactic placement of depth electrodes when necessary; ancillary diagnostic testing, including CT, MRI, PET, MEG, fMRI, MRS, digital subtraction magnetic resonance angiography, a specialized neurocognitive testing, intracarotid amobarbital procedures, quantitative EEG analysis; and a team of neurologists, clinical neurophysiologists, a psychiatrist, epilepsy, as well as personnel for technical and administrative support. Diagnostic and surgical procedures are standardized for best patient care, which also facilitates application of clinical data to basic research projects. The Animal Section is responsible for preparation of intrahippocampal kainate rat model used by all investigators, with facilities and personnel to monitor rats on a continuous basis, behaviorally to detect seizure occurrence, and electrophysiologically, in order to characterize the development of interictal and ictal epileptiform events which this is necessary. The Histopathological Section is responsible for carrying our routine cell counts, Timm's strain, and GAD immunocytochemistry analyses of human and rat hippocampal tissue used for experiments in the three subprojects. The specific aims of the Core are: i) to assure that all patients entered into the CNP protocols receive the best possible clinical care, and that research projects do not create additional risk, discomfort, or financial burden; ii) to ensure that all clinical and animal specimens and data necessary for carrying out CNP research projects are made available to CNP investigators; iii) to improve pre-surgical evaluation and surgical treatment of human temporal lobe epilepsy, and the cost-effective use of animal models to expand research on this disorder; and iv) to coordinate both clinical and animal research being carried out collaboratively among the three subprojects.